A distance-measuring device of the above-mentioned type is employed particularly as a handheld laser distance meter. A contactless measurement of the distance to a target object normally makes use of an optical measuring beam such as, for example, a laser beam. Fundamentally, different methods are known for distance measurement, irrespective of the measuring beam employed. For instance, the distance to a target object can be measured contactlessly by means of a runtime measurement, a phase measurement or a laser triangulation. In order to implement such methods or similar ones, the housing of the measuring device contains a measuring apparatus that utilizes an optical measuring beam by means of which the distance to the target object can be measured contactlessly. An advantageously configured measuring apparatus for carrying out a contactless distance measurement by means of a runtime measurement is given by way of an example in German patent specification DE 101 12 833 C1. This apparatus has a radiation unit in the form of a laser unit. Moreover, there is also an optical unit with optical elements that serve to guide the beam. The optical elements comprise at least one transmitting and receiving lens system, whereby these systems can be configured as a shared optical element or as separate optical elements. A transmitting lens system is arranged in an optical transmitting path having an optical axis in order to emit a measuring beam onto the target object. A receiving lens system is arranged in an optical receiving path having an optical axis in order to receive a measuring beam that has been reflected and/or scattered by the target object.
A method of the above-mentioned type used for contactless distance measurement or an optical measuring apparatus configured for this purpose can be further improved. For instance, German revised patent DE 100 51 302 C5 describes a laser distance-measuring device in which the transmitting and receiving paths are oriented in parallel, and the sensitivity of the measuring apparatus is increased. Other measuring apparatuses are disclosed, for example, in European patent specification EP 1 718 989 B1 or in European patent application EP 1 913 416 A1. European patent document EP 0 701 702 describes an optical measuring apparatus in which the image plane and the object plane can be moved with respect to each other. German patent document DE 196 43 287 discloses a calibration method for an optical measuring apparatus in a measuring device of the above-mentioned type. Another possibility for compensating for measuring uncertainties is described in German patent document DE 102 32 878, in which characteristics of predetermined measuring uncertainties are stored in a storage medium. Like in EP 0 701 702 and DE 100 51 302, the attempt is made in German patent document DE 101 57 378 to improve the measuring accuracy by manipulating the optical measuring apparatus, namely, by deflecting the optical axes.